66. Jasmine

66

JASMINE

A fter Margo and Frankie left, Jasmine glanced at her watch and frowned.

It had been over two hours since Ell-rom had left for his appointment with Julian, and he should have been done by now.

Not that anything could happen to Ell-rom with Julian watching over him, right? But what if something had happened to both of them?

Jasmine did not want to hover, but worry had a way of creeping in despite her best efforts.

She tried to distract herself with a book, but her mind kept circling back to Ell-rom and wondering what could be keeping him so long.

Pulling out her phone, Jasmine held her hand over the screen. She wanted to call Julian, but she didn't want to upset Ell-rom with her hovering and interrupt the rehabilitation session.

It would be better if she just went in person.

Ell-rom wouldn't mind that. He liked it when she was near.

With the decision made, she strode out of the penthouse and summoned the elevator. The ride down to the clinic level seemed longer than usual, but she knew it was only her perception of time and not a problem with the elevator's mechanics.

To her surprise, the clinic seemed deserted when she got there, which was odd. Ell-rom hadn't worn his swimming trunks, so Julian couldn't have taken him to the pool. Maybe he took him for a walk?

But then, who was watching over Morelle?

"Hello?" she called out, her voice sounding unnaturally loud in the stillness. "Is anyone here?"

A moment later, Gertrude emerged from a back room. "Oh, hi, Jasmine. Are you looking for Julian and Ell-rom?"

"Yes." Jasmine nodded, relief washing over her at the nurse's calm demeanor. If something was wrong, Gertrude wouldn't look so relaxed.

"Julian decided to take Ell-rom for a walk outside. Said it would do him good to get some fresh air and see more of the world he's woken up in. They must be enjoying their walk because they've been gone for a long time."

Anxiety gripped Jasmine again. "What if something happened to them?"

The nurse smiled reassuringly. "Julian can handle random thugs, and his reflexes are so quick that the chance of them being hit by a car is negligible. They are fine. My guess is that Ell-rom got tired, so they found a bench, sat down, and forgot about time while chatting."

That sounded like something Ell-rom would do. He had so many questions about the world of immortals that she couldn't answer.

"Would you like to visit Morelle while you wait?" Gertrude asked.

"That's a good idea. I can sing to her."

Gertrude smiled. "In that case, leave the door open so I can enjoy your singing."

Something in Jasmine's chest eased at the implied compliment. "No problem."

Since Ell-rom's awakening, she had been thrust into the role of a caretaker, a cheerleader, and an educator, and along the way, she had lost her sense of self. She had to remind herself that she did not exist just to be Ell-rom's mate. She was a performer, and it was a big part of her identity. It was unwise to let that slip away.

It dawned on her then that the hovering was the result of her forgetting that she had wants and needs that did not involve Ell-rom. He had become her entire world, and she was terrified of anything happening to him. Ostensibly, that wasn't a bad thing and could be interpreted as an expression of her love for him, but it could also be suffocating.

Damn. Relationships should come with an operating manual. Love and respect were the foundation, but a house needed much more than that to become a home, and all those intricate details were so damn nuanced.

How much care was too much, and how much was too little?

How many displays of affection were reaffirming, and how many were overwhelming?

How did people navigate those nuances to build a successful relationship?

No wonder so few couples were genuinely happy with each other. Those were the lucky ones who found their perfect match by chance, and their language of love and care fit well together.

As she opened the door to Morelle's room, the sight of Ell-rom's sister, still and silent on the bed, tugged at Jasmine's heart. Today, however, something was different. Morelle lay on her side, propped up by pillows at her back.

Jasmine looked over her shoulder at Gertrude. "Why is she on her side? Did she get bedsores?"

Even though Morelle was still in a coma, her immortal body should have been able to fix small things like that.

"It's not good for her to lie on her back all the time," Gertrude said. "We turn her onto her side periodically to prevent complications."

Jasmine didn't want to know what those complications might be. She wanted an honest answer to the question that the medical staff might not answer truthfully with Ell-rom within earshot.

"Is she going to wake up? Tell me the truth. If the prognosis isn't good, I won't tell Ell-rom, but I'll start preparing him for the possibility."

The nurse's expression softened. "The doctors are being honest with Ell-rom. We are doing everything we can for her. Her immortal physiology is working while she sleeps, fixing whatever went wrong when she was in stasis. Her inner organs need rebuilding."

That was a piece of information the doctors had not shared with Ell-rom, and Jasmine wondered if it was an oversight or if they had just decided not to disclose that to him.

Jasmine sighed, gently squeezing Morelle's hand. "Ell-rom tries to hide it, but I know how much he worries about his sister. She needs to wake up soon."

A playful glint appeared in Gertrude's eye. "Maybe she's just waiting for her prince to wake her with a kiss. That's how it works in the fairy tales, isn't it?"

Jasmine chuckled. "And where am I supposed to find a prince for Morelle?"

Gertrude shrugged, her smile widening. "You're a witch. Why don't you scry for one?"

The laughter that bubbled up from Jasmine's chest felt cleansing, releasing some of the tension she'd been carrying. "As witches go, I don't even have the skill of an apprentice, but I'll get right on it. I'm sure that in no time handsome princes from all over the world will be lining up to kiss the comatose alien princess."